STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

There are, as you can see, no pictures of happy Papoose Club members flipping flapjacks as part of the Wagon Days celebration this weekend. Members cancelled the big fundraiser for the second straight year for safety’s sake during the COVID pandemic.

But the Papoose Club happily announced that they had achieved their goal of selling a collection of 19 framed commemorative Wagon Days posters in lieu of putting on the breakfast.

“As you know, Papoose raises funds for children in the Wood River Valley. COVID threw us for a serious loop, prohibiting us from holding our usual fundraisers and our fun events, like Kindercup and Nordic Cup,” said Papoose Club President Anna Mathieu. “But a buyer stepped up with $12,000 to purchase the collection. So, with the $10,000 matching grant, we were able to raise $22,000. We are still promoting the fundraiser through Labor Day in case anyone else wants to make a matching grant or donation.”

The buyer desired that the collection be shared with many. So, she is donating it to the Senior Connection, and Papoose Club members will deliver the collection to The Senior Connection on Sept. 9.

“The Senior Connection is absolutely thrilled to welcome the collection and share it with all who visit,” said Mathieu.

The posters were donated by David and Renae Spaulding. The autographed posters date to the 1976 Bicentennial celebration

The Papoose Club was founded in 1954 as a babysitting co-op to allow moms to ski. Over time the group morphed into an organization supporting the educational, cultural and athletic growth of kids in the Wood River Valley. The group raises and donates money to youth-oriented programs through such fundraisers as the Wagon Days Pancake Breakfast, which was originated in 1977, as well as the Holiday Bazaar and the Webb Plant Extravaganza.

The list of groups the club has donated to is long and includes the BCRD Aquatic Center Revitalization, BCRD Summer Programs, Company of Fools student matinees, ERC EcoCamps, Girls on the Run, St. Thomas Playhouse Children’s theater, The Hunger Coalition and Swiftsure Ranch Therapeutic Equestrian Center.

And, yes, the Papoose Club is now open to men, as well as women.

For more information, visit www.papooseclub.org. Or, call Mathieu at 208-309-1329.